Device driver setting profile lock-down

Abstract

A method for providing a menu for a device, by providing a GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down device driver setting profiles, and providing a GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down profiles and permitting the user to select only from the listed profiles. Allowing a user to choose only from the pre-defined profiles makes for convenience and avoids waste from setting errors by novice users. The computer system detects the current system and job information (time, date, printer status, application, user information, etc.) using WMI and SNMP, applies mapping rules defined by an administrator, and displays only those profiles that are applicable to the current system and job status. Methods also include defining new profiles; alerting the user when no profiles are available, with mapping explanation and suggestion; profile detail display; and printer support.

1. A method for providing a menu for a device and communicating device setting profile information relating to an operation of the device, wherein device setting profile information comprises information about a set of pre-defined device setting values,
 comprising providing an administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero device driver setting profiles, and providing a user GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for the administrator to define a profile comprising: selecting at least one setting value, specifying a profile name and icon, and registering the at least one setting value as a profile. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for the administrator to define a mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles; and 
 wherein the user GUI for displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles comprises obtaining current system and job information, and displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles resulting from applying the mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles to the current system and job information. 
 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the system and job information comprises time and date information, device status information, application information, and user information. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein obtaining of the current system and job information comprises obtaining local information by WMI and remote information by SNMP. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles resulting from applying the mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles to the current system and job information comprises: alerting the user when zero profiles result from applying the mapping, and displaying explanation of the mapping and suggestion. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for selecting a profile and displaying profile detail information in a separate display window. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least zero device driver setting profiles are printer driver setting profiles. 
   
   
     9. A computer program product for providing a menu for a device and communicating device setting profile information relating to an operation of the device, wherein device setting profile information comprises information about a set of pre-defined device setting values,
 comprising machine-readable code for causing a machine to perform the method steps of:
 providing an administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero device driver setting profiles, and providing a user GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles. 
 
 
   
   
     10. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for the administrator to define a profile comprising:
 selecting at least one setting value, specifying a profile name and icon, and registering the at least one setting value as a profile. 
 
   
   
     11. The computer program product of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for the administrator to define a mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles; and 
 wherein the user GUI for displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles comprises obtaining current system and job information, and displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles resulting from applying the mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles to the current system and job information. 
 
   
   
     12. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the system and job information comprises time and date information, device status information, application information, and user information, and wherein obtaining of the current system and job information comprises obtaining local information by WMI and remote information by SNMP. 
   
   
     13. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles resulting from applying the mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles to the current system and job information comprises: alerting the user when zero profiles result from applying the mapping, and displaying explanation of the mapping and suggestion. 
   
   
     14. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the user GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for selecting a profile and displaying profile detail information in a separate display window, and wherein the at least zero device driver setting profiles are printer driver setting profiles. 
   
   
     15. A computing system, comprising a device driver programmed to provide a menu for a device and communicating device setting profile information relating to an operation of the device, wherein device setting profile information comprises information about a set of pre-defined device setting values,
 comprising providing an administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero device driver setting profiles, and providing a user GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles. 
 
   
   
     16. The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein the administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for the administrator to define a profile comprising: selecting at least one setting value, specifying a profile name and icon, and registering the at least one setting value as a profile. 
   
   
     17. The computing system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the administrator GUI for an administrator to select and lock-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for the administrator to define a mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles; and 
 wherein the user GUI for displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles comprises obtaining current system and job information, and displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles resulting from applying the mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles to the current system and job information. 
 
   
   
     18. The computing system of  claim 17 , wherein the system and job information comprises time and date information, device status information, application information, and user information, and wherein obtaining of the current system and job information comprises obtaining local information by WMI and remote information by SNMP. 
   
   
     19. The computing system of  claim 17 , wherein displaying to the user the locked-down at least zero profiles resulting from applying the mapping from system and job information to the at least zero profiles to the current system and job information comprises: alerting the user when zero profiles result from applying the mapping, and displaying explanation of the mapping and suggestion. 
   
   
     20. The computing system of  claim 15 , further comprising a print engine, wherein the user GUI for displaying to a user the locked-down at least zero profiles and permitting the user to select only from the locked-down at least zero profiles further comprises a GUI for selecting a profile and displaying profile detail information in a separate display window, and wherein the at least zero device driver setting profiles are printer driver setting profiles.